Sports

After a hard day in a lecture theatre or a lab, sometimes you just want to get out in the fresh air and kick a ball about. Or go swimming. Or play tennis. Or go to the gym. Or try a sport you’d never even heard of before arriving at university.

We have two state-of-the-art sports centres – one on campus and one right next door to the Halls of Residence. Both are filled with modern equipment so you can keep fit or unwind after a long day. At both centres you can work up a sweat in the gym, enjoy a swim or luxuriate in the sauna, steam room and spa pool. If you don’t fancy the gym or pool we also run a packed programme of group fitness classes – from yoga to circuit training to body combat and Zumba – there’s even the dreaded bleep test if you feel up to it.

We know that the typical student diet isn’t the healthiest in the world so we offer free gym programmes tailored to your individual goals with qualified instructors. We also offer free health checks every 3 months so you can keep track of your progress and see who’s winning in the constant battle of gym vs pizza.

Whether you’re an international level athlete or just looking to have fun and keep fit, you’ll find the facilities, organisation and support that’s right for your level of commitment.

Sports clubs

Whether you have played before or there is a new sport you’d like to try, we have more than 30 sports clubs welcoming students at any level. Sports range from Trampolining to Tae Kwon-Do and Karate to Kayaking. If your sport isn’t represented we’d love you to start your own society and we’ll give you all the support you need.

Intramural sport

Gather together a group of friends from your course or your hall and you’ve got yourself an intramural sports team. You can compete against other teams from across the University in a range of sports for fun and fitness.

Team Leicester

You’ll never forget the first time you get to wear your university’s colours. It’s a proud moment and one you’ll carry with you through your university life.

Varsity

Varsity is a highlight in the University calendar. Every year our sports teams take on local rivals De Montfort University for a coveted trophy and local bragging rights.

The showcase men’s and women’s rugby matches take place under floodlights at the Leicester Tigers’ legendary Welford Road stadium. Thousands of students from across Leicester come and raucously support their teams, creating an unforgettable atmosphere and experience for the players.

Sports scholarships and bursaries

We want to encourage the very best athletes to become part of the Leicester sporting legacy so we offer a number of sports scholarships. Elite athletes in any sport* can benefit from support, coaching, assessment, mentoring and free ‘Gold’ membership to all our sports facilities. Plus free sessions of sports massage, physiotherapy, and osteopathy over the year to keep you at the top of your game.